Letters: Gun control and public opinion
Re “Gun control, DOA,” Opinion, April 3
Doyle McManus’ summary of the moribund status of President Obama’s gun control proposals reveals an inconvenient truth about the home of the brave and the land of the free: In this country, 20 school-age children could be slaughtered by guns and no meaningful legislation to prevent that would ever be passed. Why? Because the gun fanatics would sacrifice almost anything to stop an “infringement” of their 2nd Amendment rights.
By taking this inflexible stance, radical gun owners have convinced those in power that electoral punishment is their fate should they favor any legislation that would lead to “infringement.” Proponents of “reasonable” gun laws invariably retreat, thus ensuring the DOA status reported by McManus.
Gary J. Miller
Encino
If what McManus says about gun control is true, that universal background checks are supported by at least 85% of Americans, then our elected representatives must have flunked Elections 101.
Our representatives are elected and want to be reelected, and the only way to do so is to convince voters to support them. Telling us repeatedly that it is the National Rifle Assn. that blocks what 85% of Americans want is disingenuous. The NRA can influence, but it does not hold a single vote in an election.
Lawmakers would be fools to act against the supposed vast majority of Americans calling for tighter gun laws.
Jean-Claude Demirdjian
Los Angeles
According to a poll cited by McManus, 93% of North Carolina voters favor background checks for almost all gun purchases. Yet the NRA digs in its heels, atrocity follows atrocity, little kids get killed, and legislation to implement background checks goes nowhere.
More and more, it seems that the power of the NRA is not, contrary to what one gun-control proponent told McManus, in its deep grass roots, but rather its deep pockets.
Hasn’t the time come for those of us fed up with gun violence to borrow a page from the NRA’s playbook and start working to replace any elected official who refuses to heed the will of the majority?
Joan Walston
Santa Monica
Re “NRA-backed panel calls for guns in schools,” April 3
One way to look at the NRA-backed panel’s recommendation that select school employees should be trained and armed to provide security for kids on campus is as a marketing ploy masquerading as a safety measure.
The arming of designated school staff will train generations of schoolchildren to feel that their personal safety relies on being armed. This increases the potential for a robust future of firearm consumers.
Is this the message we want our children to receive?
Anthony Balderrama
Altadena
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